Local officials in York County are meeting today with representatives of the Federal Communications Commission to discuss the latest instance of radio jamming that occurred during a multi-vehicle accident Sunday in Lebanon.
Jason Cole, assistant rescue chief for Lebanon, said in an email that his agency has been in contact with the FCC every day since the accident that involved four vehicles and injured 11 people. The jamming in that case resulted in ambulance delays, which could have been costly had any of the injuries been more serious.
Today’s meeting will involve FCC personnel from the Boston office, local law enforcement, staff from the Sanford Regional Communications Center and others, according to Cole.
Lebanon has been dealing with radio jamming – the deliberate interference of emergency radio signals – off and on since 2004. After a series of problems earlier this year, Cole filed a complaint with the FCC. The federal agency launched an investigation but the jamming stopped in late April and the person responsible was not found.
When the problem resurfaced on Sunday, a dispatcher broadcast a message that the FCC was tracing any interference and again, the jamming stopped immediately.
Cole said today’s meeting will give oficials the chance to review audiotapes and other information received since Sunday.
Rep. Beth O’Connor, who lives in Berwick but represents the district that includes Lebanon, said she hopes the local authorities devote the resources necessary to catch whoever is responsible.
“It scares the crap out of me that someone is doing this,” she said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
